Description
These Irresistible Salted Caramel Lava Cupcakes are a decadent dessert featuring a moist chocolate cake with a gooey molten caramel center, topped with sea salt flakes for a perfect sweet-salty balance. Perfectly baked to have soft yet set tops and a flowing caramel core, these cupcakes satisfy chocolate and caramel cravings with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled
Caramel Center & Garnish
- 8 soft caramel candies or ½ cup thick salted caramel sauce
- Sea salt flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the batter.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Incorporate Melted Chocolate: Stir the melted and slightly cooled semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter, blending thoroughly.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the whole milk to the chocolate batter, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon batter into each cupcake liner, filling them about halfway.
- Add Caramel Center: Place one soft caramel candy or a teaspoon of thick salted caramel sauce in the center of each cupcake liner on top of the batter.
- Top with More Batter: Cover the caramel center with more batter, filling the liners approximately ¾ full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are set but still slightly soft in the center, ensuring a gooey core.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the tops with sea salt flakes and serve warm to enjoy the molten caramel center at its best.
Notes
- For a richer caramel core, use a thick homemade salted caramel sauce instead of caramel candies.
- These cupcakes are best served warm; you can reheat them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to revive the gooey center.
- Pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert experience.
